


Break

by ColoredGayngels



Series: the price we pay [4]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Bargaining, But Mostly Hurt, Captivity, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Imprisonment, Paranoia, Recovery, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Temper Tantrums
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-10 21:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18416612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColoredGayngels/pseuds/ColoredGayngels
Summary: Zelda is furious. She had thought for sure that agreeing to obey would work. She had been sure that he would agree to her terms.She screams. Zelda screams with her entire heart and soul.





	Break

**Author's Note:**

> Bingo Square: You Can Scream All You Want  
> Anonymous asked: Can you do "you can scream all you want?"  
> thank you for the request!
> 
> this one is a direct sequel to choke

When Zelda stirs awake, there’s a solid warmth on her chest. She brings one hand up to rub the sleep from her eyes, cracking one open. She’s greeting with a shock of blond hair under her chin, Link’s face buried in her shoulder and arms slack around her waist. Asleep, he looks the most at peace as she’s ever seen him, despite yesterday’s events. Zelda gently pushes his hair off his face, running her fingers through the soft strands.

A knock on the door startles her, and she forces herself to fake sleep as the door is opened and something is set down before it’s closed and locked again. A sweet scent reaches her nose and her mouth waters when she realizes what it is. 

Zelda brushes her thumb over Link’s face. “Wake up, Link,” she says softly. “Open your eyes.” Link groans, pushing his nose further into her neck. “Come on, now. Breakfast is here.”

This prompts him to finally open his eyes. There’s a hint of panic, then realization as he notices where he is, and then he’s nearly throwing himself off the bed. 

“No, no, no!” Zelda rests her hand on his arm. “Stay in bed, you need to get well.” Hesitantly, Link shifts away from the edge, but he still doesn’t cross over the center of the bed. Satisfied with this, Zelda swings her feet to the floor, the chill nipping at her toes through the rug. Carefully, she picks up the dish so as not to spill honey off the side. 

“It’s just honeyed fruits, and there’s only one dish, but there should be enough for both of us,” she says. “I think the honey will help soothe your throat.” Zelda sets the dish down on her bedside table, digging around its drawer to find a pair of spoons. She pulls them out triumphantly, climbing back in bed and pulling the dish into her lap. “I’m not sure why he would only send one plate when there are two of us in here now.”

Zelda hands one of the spoons in Link’s direction, satisfied when he takes it. Before she can take a bite, however, her spoonful of wildberries is thrown from her hand. She whips her head around to look at Link, who’s leaning over the bed looking absolutely wild, eyes wide with panic. “Link? What’s wrong? Why did you do that?”

Link sits back on his knees, hands signing wildly. “He tried to kill me last night, how can we trust him, the food could be poisoned, Zelda you can’t eat that, you could die-”

Zelda places her hands on his to still them, but Link flinches so hard that Zelda yanks her hands back as though she’s been burned. Slowly, she rests one hand on his knee. “I don’t think he tried to kill you. You choked, and I was able to help. Ganon may not be honest, but he wants me well for his image. I understand that you don’t trust him. However, your body is weak and you need to eat something.” Zelda picks up the spoon Link dropped, her own abandoned on the floor. “Now, we are going to eat breakfast, both of us.”

Link still looks worried, more than he should be, but Ganon hasn’t done anything to harm Zelda since their marriage. She maintains eye contact with him as she takes the first bite, groaning around the sweet fruit and warm honey. She swallows, passing the spoon over. “See? Nothing to worry about.” 

When Link still doesn’t take it, Zelda sighs. “I know you’re worried, but if you don’t eat on your own, then I’ll have to feed you myself.” Finally, Link takes it with a shaking hand and fear still in his eyes. Slowly, warily, he scoops some honey - only honey - onto the spoon, only bringing it to his lips when Zelda gives him a reassuring nod.

Link’s tongue darts out for a taste first. The moment the honey touches his tongue, his eyes light up and he shoves the rest of the spoonful into his mouth. He looks at Zelda, and she nods again, so this time he scoops up some fruit, eating it as quickly as he can. 

Zelda smiles, glad he’s finally eating. “See, nothing to worry about.”

They finish their breakfast in silence, and if Zelda lets Link have most of it, that’s her secret. The morning passes in much the same way. Zelda brushes out her hair, pulling it into a simple braid, and changes into a simple dress, white with no capes, no frocks or sashes or belts. She digs through her wardrobe some more, eventually finding a pair of trousers and a tunic that may be suitable for Link. 

Link’s still almost too weak to stand on his own, so Zelda helps him into the fresh clothes and back onto the bed so she can brush his hair into a ponytail. He still has bruises under his eyes, but he doesn’t look quite as haunted as he had the night before. It certainly helps, Zelda thinks, that his skin and hair are clean and he’s no longer wearing tattered clothing.

Lunch is served in much the same way as breakfast had been, a single dish left inside the door. Link seems less afraid of the food this time, despite still being hesitant, but Zelda doesn’t have to fight him to eat. Unfortunately, duck curry is a lot rougher on Link’s throat than the honey, each swallow bringing an expression of pure pain to his face. Their afternoon is as quiet as their morning, Link drifting off to sleep as Zelda tidies the day’s dishes.

Just before dinner, the routine changes. The same knock sounds at the door, but this time, Ganon himself is there. He doesn’t seem angry, but he still looks cross. Zelda looks to see Link still asleep. 

“If you’re finished playing nurse, you’re welcome to join me for dinner,” Ganon says, leaning against the doorframe. 

Zelda narrows her eyes. “Link as well?”

“No. He’ll be returned to his room.”

“He’s still unwell. I won’t be joining you,” she says firmly, moving to guard Link with her body.

“Very well.” Ganon steps out of the doorway and waves his hand. “If you’re going to be stubborn…”

A servant moves quickly through the room, collecting the dishes and Link’s old clothing from Zelda’s vanity before leaving again.

“The two of you will remain here until you’re finished being childish.” Ganon turns to leave.

“What about dinner?” Zelda asks, stopping him.

“You haven’t earned it.” And with that, Ganon shuts and locks the door.

~~~

Each day passes the same - Zelda and Link are given breakfast and lunch, spending the rest of the day with not much to do but enjoy each other’s company. Every evening, Ganon comes and asks if Zelda’s done with her games, every evening Zelda refuses to give Link up, every evening the pair is denied dinner. 

Link does get stronger with each day, the regular meals doing well for his starved frame, and his throat is healed by the end of the second week. By the third week, Link no longer hesitates to eat. By the fourth, he no longer flinches when Zelda touches him. By the fifth, he’s joining in conversation through sign, occasionally saying a word or two to get her attention or make a point.

By the sixth week, Zelda has had enough. She’s been studying their routine, the rotation of the guard through the door, who delivers each meal and when, who else is with Ganon when he asks his question. There isn’t much of a window for escape, but that isn’t stopping her. The only change in routine is that once a week, a second servant joins the first with Ganon to collect the week’s laundry, returning it in the dead of night when neither Link nor Zelda is awake. It’s this middle of the night entry that Zelda determines to be their best chance.

“We need more time to plan,” Link signs, and Zelda throws herself down in the chair by the fireplace. 

“I know. I just wanted to tell you what I was thinking.” She runs her hand through her hair. “I want to try talking to him first, see if he’ll let me bargain. Perhaps I can convince him to let me keep you with me, like a queen would a handmaiden.” Link wrinkles his nose at the word. “You know what I mean.”

“How do we know he’ll listen?”

“We don’t. We just have to try.”

That evening, Zelda speaks before Ganon does. 

“I will join you for dinner if you let Link stay by my side.”

Ganon raises an eyebrow. “Will you now?

“Yes.” Zelda crosses her arms, looks Ganon in the eye. “I will behave and do what you ask, but only if Link is allowed to stay with me at all times.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No.” The servant leaves the room and Ganon prepares to shut the door. “You will agree to my terms or you will not leave this room.” The door is shut and locked behind him.

Zelda is furious. She had thought for sure that agreeing to obey would work. She had been sure that he would agree to her terms. 

She screams. Zelda screams with her entire heart and soul, stomping over to the door and pounding on it. “Release us you foul beast! Let us go!” Over her banging, she hears a laugh. Ganon is  _ laughing  _ at her. The audacity of that man! Zelda screams again, storming off and throwing herself face down on her bed.

The following evening, when Zelda hears the door unlock, she screams again. The instant Ganon registers in her vision, her teacup is flying across the room, shattering against the wall beside his face. Ganon holds his arm out to stop the servants entering the room, but before he can speak, the splintered remains of a bowl fly around him, accompanied by another scream. 

“Get! Out!” Zelda throws a third dish, but it explodes against the closed door. She lets out a third, blood-curdling scream before collapsing to the floor.

“You can scream all you want,” Ganon calls through the door. “But until you end this tantrum and stop acting like a spoiled child, I’m not letting you out.” His footsteps fade.

Zelda drops her head into her hands, hot, angry tears rolling down her cheeks. She looks up and around the room, stomach churning at the glass shards surrounding the door. She spots Link near the fireplace, curled up in the corner, terror in his eyes. Zelda quickly crawls toward him, reaching out her hand, but he flinches back, curling away from her.

Only then does she realize the sight she must have been. “Link, I-” She tries to move closer, but Link scrabbles to get farther away. He’s  _ afraid _ of her. Horrified, Zelda launches herself back until she’s against the opposite wall. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” She falls asleep like that, crying and apologizing, curled up on the floor with Link across the room.

In the morning, the glass is gone, and breakfast never arrives.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on:  
> [tumblr](https://spriitepepsii.tumblr.com)  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/spriitepepsii)


End file.
